The Proving Ground
by TheArchimage
Summary: A 12-year-old Motoko faces a dangerous enemy... One that may scar her for life.


*Author's notes*: Yes, my idea of a break is ANOTHER Love Hina fanfic.  
What can I say, I'm obsessed! I noticed a distinct lack of Motoko  
fanfictions, and decided I needed to correct that. Parts of this  
fiction refer to, expand on, or clarify scenes in Episode 25 of the  
anime and Volume 9 of the manga. Please read and review!  
  
==============================  
The following work of fiction contains characters that are the  
property of TV Tokyo, and are used without permission. Any character  
that you do not recognize (most notably the demon and Shidousho-  
sensei) is probably mine, however, and if you would like to use said  
characters in your own work, PLEASE get my permission first!  
  
Any Praise/Criticism/Death Threats may be sent to: archimage4@aol.com.  
  
Some Japanese words are used in this text where appropriate. Those  
unfamiliar with the language may find the following translations  
useful:  
  
tanto - a long knife or short sword.  
katana - a sword; the blade is a little shorter than four feet.  
hiken - hidden technique.  
sensei - teacher. Also used as an honorific.  
hakama - Cross between pants and a long skirt. Motoko usually wears  
these.  
==============================  
  
The Proving Ground  
by TheArchimage  
  
  
Thunder rumbled in the dark clouds overhead, and the occasional flash  
of lightning lit up the sky. It was very dark, especially for a  
summer afternoon. It would doubtlessly rain soon, hence why she was  
wearing a straw hat. It was a little too big for her, but it suited  
her well otherwise. Her sandals made soft crunching sounds as she  
walked onward with a steady rhythm.  
  
She glanced up at the clearing on the hill ahead of her, at once both  
relieved and tense. This was where the demon was hiding out; she  
could feel its presence. This demon had terrorized a small fishing  
town for several days, culminating in the murder of three innocents  
three days ago, while she had been en route. And she had tracked it  
down to here. A tiny smile formed across her lips as she fingered her  
sword. She was in very real danger, but she was anxious to show off  
the skills she had practiced so hard to obtain.  
  
"Demon!" she called out, her tone reflecting her courage and power  
even if her child's voice could not. "I am Aoyama Motoko, and I have  
come to exorcise you! Come out!" With this, she set her traveling  
bag down, and drew her tanto. The katana at her side would be better  
suited for demon slaying, but it was almost as long as she was tall,  
and much too large for her to wield. She would have to make do with  
what she had. Her eyes darted left and right, her nerves on edge. At  
any moment, the demon could appear and tear her body in two, and she  
had to be ready for it.  
  
She cautiously stepped into the clearing, her eyes absorbing every  
detail. The elements had not been kind to this place: even the few  
weeds that grew here were struggling to survive, thin, sickly, and  
windblown. There were many rocks of varying size around the clearing,  
and she guessed by the damage marks on them that this was once used as  
a training ground. The ideal hiding place; according to reports of  
the villagers, this demon could hide in inanimate objects, safe from  
the blows of any mortal weapon. Any one of these rocks could be  
harboring the beast... Motoko took a breath to steady herself, as she  
began to concentrate.  
  
Where would he come from? Where was the demon hiding? She allowed  
her mind to clear of all emotion, all thought, and the answer to her  
questions came rushing in.  
  
"There you are!" she shouted out as her movement blurred. She reached  
into her belt, and pulled out a paper talisman. She tossed the  
talisman at a boulder across the clearing that was roughly her size.  
Her aim was true; the talisman stuck to the boulder, and a black gas  
began to escape from it. She allowed herself a triumphant grin as her  
hands tightened their grip on her tanto. The demon had showed itself.  
  
The black gas collected above the rock, then rushed toward another  
rock, eager to hide again. It struck, and wafted around the sides of  
the rock, failing to penetrate it. Motoko smiled. The talisman had  
been specially prepared by the temple monks; once struck, the demon  
would be unable to hide, allowing her to attack it. She had already  
won the first round. "Well, demon?" she taunted. "I have found you.  
Now will you fight?"  
  
She heard an evil laughter, as the black gas began to take a definite  
form. "So they send a child to fight me, hmm?" the demon retorted.  
Motoko grimaced at being called a child; even if she was but 12 years  
old, Shidousho-sensei had assured her that she was more than a match  
for this demon. "It makes no difference whether they send an infant  
or an entire legion of their finest warriors; I will crush them all,  
just as I will crush you."  
  
The gas began to take solid form, beginning with the head. It was  
short, round, and ugly, with spines growing out around the side of  
it's blunt face. The body then followed suit, forming a hard shell  
that was flat in the front, and bulged considerably in the back.  
Spikes jutted out around the entire circumference of the circular  
shell, their pearly-white color contrasting with the dark gray of the  
rest of its body.  
  
Next came the arms. The right arm was as thick as a tree trunk, and  
ended in a terrible blade instead of a hand. The blade looked like it  
had been a hand of iron, except now the fingers were attached  
together, and ended in a point that could easily rend skin and bones.  
The left arm was similarly thick, except it ended in a hand with  
short, curved fingers that had sharp nails on the end of them.  
  
The beasts "legs" seemed ill-suited to walking on land; they were  
short, flat flippers, seeming to be much better suited for swimming.  
It did not need to walk, anyway, as it floated a good three feet off  
of the ground. As Motoko studied it, she realized that it very much  
resembled a turtle. A grotesque, twisted turtle, true, but a turtle  
nonetheless.  
  
Motoko was not very impressed with the creature, even if it was  
several times her size. She expected something more frightening. "So  
that is your true form, demon?" she called out to it. "Then today I  
shall vanquish you, and send you back to hell!"  
  
She raised her tanto above her head, prepared to strike. She took a  
deep breath, focusing her ki upon her blade. The demon wasn't about  
to let her get the first attack, however. It pulled its arms, legs,  
and head inside its shell, and began spinning. It launched itself at  
the girl, ripping through the air like a buzz saw.  
  
Motoko launched a counter-attack. "Hiken... Zankuusen!" She brought  
the blade down, and the blast of her ki caused the very air to shudder  
with its passing. It struck the spinning shell, knocking it off  
course and into a large boulder. The resounding crash covered the  
site of the impact with thick smoke, and the rock shattered into  
pieces. Motoko quickly leaped up, out of the way of the fragments of  
rock that flew by her, certain that she had dealt the demon a grievous  
blow.  
  
Her eyes widened in shock when she smoke parted to let a spinning,  
reptilian dervish loose, heading straight toward her. She spun in the  
air, narrowly avoiding the charge that would have torn her in two.  
But she didn't avoid the bladed hand, which hit her with a fearsome  
backhand between her shoulders with enough force to send her flying  
back down to earth. She barely managed to land on her feet, and  
tasted blood in her mouth. When had it brought that arm out of its  
shell? This was supposed to be a minor demon, certainly not capable  
of acting with such speed...  
  
She didn't have much time to ponder this, as the shell was spinning  
toward her once again. She charged her ki once more, and released  
another Zankuusen. This one, too, rebounded harmlessly off of the  
shell, and once more Motoko barely dived out of the way. The bladed  
hand stuck out of the shell, ready to attack, but Motoko was ready for  
it this time. As the hand lunged toward her, she gathered her ki, and  
released a third Zankuusen. The hand plowed through her blast like it  
didn't exist, and hit her directly in the chest, knocking her several  
yards backwards as shreds of her gi filled the air. As she rolled to  
a slow stop, she thought to herself, How can this be defeating me so  
easily...?  
  
Her body felt like it was weighted down with lead, and she coughed up  
blood. She took stock of her injury; there was a sizable gash across  
her abdomen, and she could still feel her strength draining away with  
the blood. She stared up at the demon, now fully out of its shell and  
hovering toward her. "Your technique is not bad, for someone your  
age," it consoled her, relishing in its impending victory. "But it  
will not be enough to defeat me. You see, I dine on human emotion  
like you foul creatures dine upon the flesh of animals and the  
children of plants. And for me, the taste of sadness, horror, and  
despair is like a delicacy.  
  
"This place, in many years past, was the site of a small village," it  
continued to gloat. "It was attacked by raiders, and was burnt to the  
ground. Not a single man, woman, or child survived. Their blood  
stained the ground so badly that even now, over a hundred years later,  
little will grow or live here." The demon described this in wondrous  
awe, like someone else would describe a sunset. "And their feelings  
of despair and sadness cloud this place still. I have partaken of  
them, and they have made me strong. Too strong for a girl like you."  
  
The demon's left hand wrapped around her, picking her up off the  
ground while pinning her sword arm to the side. She tried to break  
free, but there wasn't enough strength left in her. She was at the  
demon's mercy.  
  
"Still..." the demon cackled maliciously. "It would be such a waste  
to kill you now. I can get a good meal out of you yet. Now, just  
relax, little one... let's see what horrors you have buried away in  
that mind of yours..."  
  
She could feel the presence of the demon trying to enter her mind.  
She struggled to keep it out, but her wounds were breaking her  
concentration. No, she mentally commanded. I can't lose like this.  
I won't, I won't, I won't...  
  
But it was useless. Her mental defenses couldn't hold up, and  
memories came flooding back to her unbidden...  
  
-----------  
  
Shidousho Hitoni-sensei was a highly decorated Shinmeiryuu warrior in  
the years past, and she had been chosen among all her peers to train  
the next generation of Shinmeiryuu warriors. Her age was starting to  
catch up to her; her once lush and gorgeous black hair was now lined  
with strands of gray, and her face was beginning to wrinkle after many  
long years of practicing the Art. Any of her students that acted up,  
however, would admit that the years had left her skill unaffected, and  
she was more than capable of doling out punishment if it was required.  
She had been the undisputed master of the entire Shinmeiryuu clan for  
as long as Motoko could remember, and this is what made a private  
meeting with her such an unnerving event.  
  
Motoko knelt in front of her in the main hall, struggling to keep her  
face from making a single movement that could be attached to awe,  
nervousness, or fear. Shidousho-sensei had her eyes closed and was  
breathing calmly, the same thing she had been doing since Motoko  
entered. That was a good five minutes ago, but Motoko did not dare  
ask why she had been called. This was a test of her patience, she was  
sure, and she did not want to think about the consequences of failure.  
  
Shidousho-sensei opened her eyes slightly, and stared at Motoko. She  
felt her heart leap up into her throat, but she did not let her face  
or manner betray that fact. Apparently satisfied, Shidousho began to  
speak, in her usual calm, clear voice that would have fit a woman half  
her age, "Do you know why you have been called here, Motoko?" Motoko  
slowly shook her head. "A fisherman came to our dojo today. He came  
from a village about three days travel to the east, speaking of a  
demon which came into their village a week ago. At first, the demon  
caused only minor problems, and its mischief was blamed on old  
equipment, rotting floors, and bad luck. However, the demon suddenly  
became more aggressive, attacking those who went out alone at night.  
Nothing serious, not yet, but the attacks convinced the villagers to  
seek outside help in dealing with the menace. The man was sent to  
acquire our aid in exorcising the beast." Motoko followed the story  
careful, but she was not yet understanding the meaning of it.  
  
"Unfortunately, all of our Sisters are far too busy on other projects  
to deal with a minor demon, and students are not sent on any missions  
until after they pass through their Ordeal, and are accepted into the  
Sisterhood. However, I could not ignore the man's plight, for the  
Shinmeiryuu were created for just this purpose." She paused briefly,  
making sure Motoko had understood the story. "I called you here  
because I have a question I would like to ask you."  
  
Shidousho's eyes did not change at all, but her face formed a tiny,  
almost imperceptible smile. "Motoko, how would you like to be the  
youngest student in three generations to attempt the Ordeal?"  
  
Motoko couldn't hide her shock, nor could she be expected to.  
Shidousho-sensei's question was both a great honor and a horrible  
thing to ask of her. Motoko took a deep breath, calming her nerves.  
Shidousho-sensei's expression suggested that she would give her as  
much time as she needed to compose herself. "Shidousho-sensei, please  
tell me if I am understanding you correctly," she asked slowly. "The  
slaying of this demon... this is to be my Ordeal?"  
  
Shidousho-sensei affirmed her suspicion, "The Ordeal may take any form  
I deem appropriate. I believe that this would be appropriate for  
you."  
  
Motoko looked down to the floor, swelling with anxiety. The Ordeal  
was typically given when a woman turned 15. To take it at the young  
age of 12...  
  
She questioned, "Are you sure I am ready, Shidousho-sensei?"  
  
"Your humility is noted," Shidousho began, the smile disappearing as  
she did so. "But I would not have called you here if I did not think  
you were ready. Be assured, you are prepared."  
  
Motoko had to think for several minutes. She would be risking her  
very life, but the prize was sweet indeed: should she succeed, she  
would join the Sisterhood of Shinmeiryuu warriors, and fill the gap  
left by her sister. It wasn't a difficult decision to make, for her  
entire life had been spent preparing herself for this. "Then, I shall  
accept this honor, and promise that I shall not fail you."  
  
Shidousho-sensei nodded. "Very well. Gather up anything you feel you  
will need, for you will set out tonight, while the other students  
sleep. You must make the journey alone, but know that I have  
confidence in you. And..." She trailed off, before finishing her  
thought, "I know that you have something of your sister's that would  
be of great help to you. I will grant you permission to carry it this  
once. Now, you must be going. I will await news of your success."  
  
Motoko kept her composure throughout the not-very-subtle hint, and  
bowed to her when she was finished. Motoko stood up, and walked out  
of the main hall. She still wore her serious expression as she made  
her way back to the student barracks. Although her face was calm, her  
mind was a swirling haze of emotions. Anxiety about taking the  
ordeal. Surprise that Shidousho-sensei knew of her sister's gift.  
Pride that she had been selected to take the Ordeal. And, yes, fear  
that she would not return from this journey. She kept these emotions  
to herself, however; they were a sign of weakness, and she would not  
allow herself to be perceived as weak.  
  
She snuck into the barracks, for it was already an hour past lights-  
out, and everyone would likely be asleep. She packed some traveling  
money, a few trail rations, a few spare changes of clothes, and put  
her tanto at her side. She searched deep inside the box for a cloth-  
wrapped object, and found it. Swallowing hard, she removed the  
covering, to reveal a katana, still in its sheath. This was the  
Shisui, the sword that had once belonged to her sister. It was given  
to her years ago to look after, when she was just seven years old, but  
students were forbidden to wear katana, and so she had kept it here.  
But Shidousho-sensei had just given her permission to wear it. She  
put that at her side as well, and found herself leaning slightly to  
the left, as she was not used to the weight it added. She would  
adjust to it on the way to the village, she told herself.  
  
Motoko took her straw hat off the rack, and left the barracks. She  
took a long look back at it. The next time she saw it, she would be a  
Sister. Or she would be dead. She wanted to travel at least one mile  
before setting down for the night, and she was already feeling tired.  
She murmured a prayer for her sister to watch over her as she tipped  
the hat low over her eyes, and started out.  
  
-----------  
  
The inner hall of the Shinmeiryuu dojo was a familiar sight, but it  
still evoked feelings of awe whenever she saw it. It wasn't because  
it was regal; indeed, the dojo had never been rich, and the columns,  
walls, and floors were beginning to show their age. It was because  
all of the greatest warriors of their dojo had walked, trained, and  
lived in that hall for generations, and she felt honored just to walk  
in their footsteps. She allowed herself the thought that in the  
future, someone would think the same thing about walking in her shoes.  
  
She tried to keep the smile off of her face, but she could not. She  
was too happy, too proud, to hide her feelings now. Shidousho Hitoni-  
sensei had called them all in for an announcement concerning her  
sister. She knew what the announcement was without anyone telling  
her: her sister would be announced as the next inheritor of the  
Shinmeiryuu dojo. Her own sister would be the next Sensei! Motoko, 9  
years old, felt herself blush; she expected nothing less of her  
sister, one of the greatest Shinmeiryuu warriors to ever live.  
  
She could see her sister kneeling in front of Shidousho-sensei, head  
bowed low to the ground. She had a tiny smile on her face, the same  
one she always seemed to use. That would be just like her sister to  
take this great honor in stride, as if it were just another reward for  
a job well done. Shidousho-sensei cleared her throat, signaling that  
she was about to speak. Not a sound could be heard in the entire  
hall.  
  
She addressed the assembled crowd, "Today, I have called you to inform  
you of news that is both happy and sad. The sad news is that our  
beloved Sister Aoyama will no longer wield the sword to fight against  
evil." The warriors all referred to each other as "sisters", but the  
sister Motoko admired so much was her blood sister as well, and Motoko  
was justly proud. "She has been instrumental to several of our major  
campaigns, and it pains me to see a warrior as fine as herself leave  
the battlefield when so much work remains to be done.  
  
"However, in this time we cannot help but be happy for her. For today  
she begins a new journey. Our Sister..." she paused suddenly, and a  
great smile came over her face. Motoko found that she was leaning  
forward, wanting to be the first to hear the words: Will be inheriting  
the Shinmeiryuu dojo. Her eyes widened in anticipation as Shidousho-  
sensei opened her mouth and spoke:  
  
"Our Sister Aoyama is to be married."  
  
Gasps were heard throughout the hall, followed by the sound of excited  
gossip. Shidousho-sensei allowed it to continue for a moment, before  
raising up her hand. The idle conversation quickly died away, and she  
continued with her speech. Motoko wasn't hearing it, however. She  
sat in her place, her jaw agape, mind reeling with the revelation she  
had just been struck with. Her sister was leaving the sword behind...  
to get married?  
  
What about receiving the dojo? Who would be the successor if she  
left? Why would her sister give up the path of the sword? The sister  
she knew would never do something like that. What had happened to her  
since she saw her last? A thousand questions assaulted her mind, and  
no answers were forthcoming. What could she do...?  
  
Her sister. She had to talk her sister, and ask her about all of  
this.  
  
She went through the rest of the day's practice drills half-heartedly;  
she was in too much of a daze to concentrate properly. She hoped her  
instructors would write it off as anxiety due to the recent  
announcement, which they did. Her fellow students gossiped between  
drills about the announcement, and she couldn't find it in her heart  
to blame them: not much happened in the mountains of Kyoto, and  
anything that did was a topic of discussion for weeks.  
  
Ordinarily, her sister would be staying in the barracks while she was  
here, but that was when she was a warrior. She had given up the  
sword, and would be staying in the guest rooms now. Her sister would  
be the only person in the guest rooms, since there hadn't been  
visitors to the dojo for some time. She made her way up the stone  
steps to the guest house as the sun began its final descent.  
  
She stopped at the door, trying to calm herself. She had not seen her  
sister face to face in some time, and there were so many things that  
she needed to ask her about. There were probably many things that her  
sister wanted to tell her, too. She gathered up her courage, and  
opened the door.  
  
Nothing could have prepared her for what was on the other side of that  
door. Her sister was there, but she was not alone. A man was with  
her. And they were...  
  
Were... kiss-  
  
Motoko regained her speech at the same time her sister noticed her  
presence. She quickly apologized for interrupting, and fled, feeling  
tears pull at her eyes. No!, she scolded herself. Don't you dare  
cry. I will not show any weakness, not now, and not ever. But her  
tears didn't want to listen. She held them as long as she could, and  
went to the hills outside the dojo.  
  
As she wept, she promised herself: Never again. Never again would she  
allow anyone to get as close to her as her sister did. Never again  
would she let her emotions be used against her. And never again would  
she cry.  
  
-----------  
  
"Now THIS is what I was looking for," the demon cackled gleefully.  
Reliving that moment re-opened the emotional wounds, and Motoko was  
spending nearly all of her effort to keep herself from crying. But  
not one tear fell from her eyes. "It must have been terrible for you,  
losing your sister, mentor, and friend all at once. You may try to  
hide it, but I know better. You were hurt, as well you should be.  
You really should be more honest with yourself...  
  
"Here, I'll help you become honest." The demon's presence entered her  
mind once more, and the terrible scene began once more. Motoko  
struggled, trying to somehow break free of the demon's grip. She was  
still holding onto her tanto, but it did not do her much good pinned  
to her side. Her mind raced, trying to deny the demon the  
satisfaction of seeing her cry as well as getting out of this  
predicament.  
  
Then, she had it. She had been warned to never use this technique  
with a tanto, but she was out of options. She stopped trying to hold  
back her tears, and began to concentrate her ki on her blade.  
  
"That's right, little one, let it all out," the demon gloated. "Your  
sorrow is most delicious. The sorrow of warriors is quite the  
delicacy." Motoko wasn't listening. The tanto was beginning to  
shudder from the amount of life energy in the blade. She just needed  
a little more time...  
  
"Now, girl, don't you feel so much better?"  
  
Motoko's mouth opened, and a single gasp escaped: "Hi.... hi..."  
  
"Hmmm?" the demon smiled its wicked grin. "I didn't quite catch that,  
dearie. You'll have to speak up."  
  
"HIKEN, FUUJIN RANBU!"  
  
The Zankuusen sent her ki in a straight line, and was a very basic  
combat move. In contrast, Fuujin Ranbu sent her ki flying in all  
directions, and with much more force than the Zankuusen. The demon's  
hand exploded in a mighty gush of dark blood and gale-force winds.  
The tanto, unable to handle the amount of ki surging through it,  
shattered into a hundred pieces, many of them sticking into her right  
side. She was beyond caring about them right now, however, and didn't  
even feel the pain. The demon's scream filled the air as she landed  
on her feet, and she casually tossed the broken tanto to the side. It  
could help her no more.  
  
"Little bitch!" the demon snarled, raising its clawed hand. It  
stabbed at Motoko, and she leapt over it, drawing the Shisui in mid-  
flight, as the hand plowed into the ground in a thunderous crash of  
flying debris. She had to hold the katana with two hands, and even  
then it was unwieldy, but she hardly noticed. Her leap carried her  
into the air, behind the demon's left shoulder. She brought the  
massive weapon to bear, and stabbed downward at an angle, deep into  
the shoulder of the beast and into the shell. Her feet quickly  
planted themselves on the side of the arm, and she struggled to  
maintain her footing as she began to focus her ki.  
  
"HIKEN, ZANKUUSEN!"  
  
When attacked from the outside, the demon's shell had deflected all of  
her attacks. But with the tip of her blade now inside, the unleashed  
ki could not escape its confines. The deadly energy rebounded,  
tearing the demon's innards to shreds, finally being released as a  
pillar of wind out of the hole meant to hide its head. The powerful  
force threw Motoko through the air, knocking the wind out of her. She  
landed with her back flat on the ground, and felt the ground shake as  
the demon's body landed with a hollow thud.  
  
The rush of adrenaline now gone, Motoko began to realize how badly she  
was hurt. Her stomach burned, her side ached, and her arms felt like  
lead weights. Her vision blurred from the pain, and darkness beckoned  
at the corner of her eyes. But she wasn't done yet. She summoned all  
of her strength to stand, and her body cried out in agony. She pulled  
another paper talisman from her belt, and walked up to the carcass of  
the demon, wincing at every step. She gently placed the talisman on  
the shell, and the shell instantly began to crumble. "Begone from  
this plane, demon," she intoned. "May you never return."  
  
She put her back up against a tall rock, and slowly slid down it. She  
laid the Shisui across her lap, and pulled a white cloth out from  
inside her gi. Her sister would never forgive her if she left her  
sword in this condition. She calmly cleaned the blade free of the  
demon's blood, until it was back to it's original shining silver. As  
she replaced the sword in its sheath, she felt raindrops beginning to  
fall on her head. She looked up into the rain, and lamented, "Almost  
killed by a minor demon... sister would laugh at me. I still have...  
so much... to learn..."  
  
And with that, the last of her strength disappeared. She closed her  
eyes, and the darkness welcomed her.  
  
-----------  
  
The phone rang. She answered the phone neutrally, "Hello?"  
  
"It is good to speak with you again, Sister Aoyama."  
  
She smiled. It was Shidousho Hitoni-san, her old sensei. "I am a  
married woman now, Shidousho-san," she playfully corrected her. "I am  
no longer a Sister, or have you forgotten?"  
  
"No, I have not. Old habits die hard, I guess."  
  
"This is more than a mere courtesy call, I take it?"  
  
"It is. You should be very proud of your sister. She is the youngest  
woman in three generations to take on the Ordeal, and the youngest in  
seven to have passed and joined the Sisterhood."  
  
A pause. "You put her through an Ordeal?"  
  
"I thought she was ready, and she accepted the terms," Shidousho-san  
said in a business-like tone. "She returned just this afternoon. We  
were hoping you could come to the ceremony this Thursday. She would  
probably like you to be here, as well."  
  
"I see. So, she is not a child anymore."  
  
"Indeed. In fact, I am seriously considering her as my successor.  
Privately, however, there is another reason for this call..."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I made the Ordeal sound easier than I knew it would be. I was hoping  
to teach her to never let down her guard, to always assume the worst.  
It worked, but I fear I may have gone too far; she has lost confidence  
in her skills, and feels that she passed her Ordeal by sheer luck."  
  
"I felt the same way about my own Ordeal, afterwards."  
  
"I remember. But this is different. This is more than mere humility;  
she seems lost. She will not speak to anyone, and practices almost  
every waking hour. She is an emotional wreck. Her skill would be as  
good, if not better, than yours was at her age, but her spirit is  
weak. Her swordsmanship reflects this. It will not do. I was hoping  
to have your help in this matter; you are her blood sister, after all,  
and she is more likely to let you help her than I."  
  
"I know how important the sword is to her. She is even more serious  
about it than I was." She paused briefly, an idea coming to her.  
"You were right to call me. I have an idea, but..."  
  
-----------  
  
Motoko sighed heavily while sitting in the shade of the tree,  
nervously clutching the Shisui. Her eyes focused on a point in space,  
and she stared straight ahead into space. Time lost meaning, and she  
sat there for several hours, until she heard a voice just behind her:  
"It's been a long time, Motoko."  
  
The voice snapped her out of her reverie. She turned toward the  
source of the voice and smiled. "Yes, it has, sister." Her sister  
was wearing the white gi with red hakama that made up the standard  
Shinmeiryuu warrior's uniform. And, yes, her smile was there, the  
same as it always had.  
  
"Hitoni-san has told me a great many things, Motoko. She tells me  
that you are a Sister now. You passed your Ordeal at a younger age  
than even I did. You should be very proud of yourself."  
  
Her spirits sank once more; her sister did not know the whole story,  
and if she did, her approval would most certainly turn to disdain. "I  
am not as impressive as that, sister. Please don't make such a big  
deal out of it." She sighed heavily once more. She didn't want to  
lie to her sister...  
  
"Everyone else seems to find it very impressive. Hitoni-san is  
looking to have you inherit the dojo."  
  
"I know."  
  
"And, Motoko? What do you think about it?"  
  
Motoko froze up. Her sister would almost certainly take the news  
badly, but she couldn't lie to her about something this serious. She  
licked her lips, and said gravely, "It was not by skill that I passed  
the Ordeal. It was only because I had your sword that I was not  
killed."  
  
Her sister sighed. The smile had not disappeared, and Motoko didn't  
know whether that was a good or bad sign. "That is the way of many  
Ordeals," her sister intoned. "Victory is hard-won, if it all, and  
the presence or absence of a single element may change the outcome.  
Your skill most certainly played a large part in your victory, Motoko,  
of that I have little doubt. You should not be so hard on yourself."  
  
Motoko shook her head. "That is not all. The battle has left me...  
weakened." Motoko shuddered, fearing to go on, but fearing what her  
sister would do if she left the thought unfinished more. "Though it  
is dead, the demon haunts me still. Its visage appears in my dreams,  
though never in the exact same form. I can still hear its laughter,  
ringing in my ears. I'm..."  
  
She paused, and her head sunk low. She took several deep breaths,  
wondering if she would be able to continue. Her sister would most  
certainly not like her next words. "I'm... I'm afraid..." The smile  
disappeared. Her sister stared at her for a long while. Motoko  
swallowed hard, and finished her thought: "I can't inherit the dojo.  
Not like this."  
  
Her sister's eyes closed, and she leaned back. She looked up towards  
the sky, as if pondering something. She stayed this way for several  
moments. Motoko stewed silently, wondering what a reaction like this  
meant. Would her sister punish her for being so weak? Berate her for  
being afraid? Arrange for her to be kicked out of the school? Any of  
those seemed as likely as the others, and she was waiting for the  
hammer to fall.  
  
Her sister finally spoke, "If this is true, Motoko, then I must agree  
with you: you cannot inherit the dojo. However-" Motoko had been  
prepared for any reaction, except the one she got: her sister smiled  
again. "This is not the same as never being able to receive the dojo.  
I am certain that, with self-training, you will be able to overcome  
your difficulties and recover from the strain the Ordeal has placed  
upon you."  
  
"Where would I go, sister? I am a Sister now, and I can be called  
into duty at any time. I cannot train seriously under such  
circumstances."  
  
"They would not be able to call you if you fled the dojo. I've talked  
it over with Shidousho-san, and she will allow you to return. And  
return you will, for training the next generation of warriors is the  
greatest thing you can hope to accomplish. But, it is your decision."  
  
Motoko thought long and hard about this turn of events. The dojo had  
been the only home she had known since she was old enough to walk;  
being forced to leave it under these circumstances, she could not help  
but feel sad. But she knew that this was for the best. She needed to  
train, to refine her technique... so that she could match her sister's  
skill. "You speak the truth, sister," she answered. "I will train  
abroad, as you suggest. But how will I know when it is time for me to  
return?"  
  
Her sister thought for a moment. "Your eighteenth birthday... that is  
the time I will come for you. That gives you five years to improve  
yourself. Is that enough time?"  
  
"O-of course."  
  
"I must ask for an exception, however. I want you to be the only  
teacher my daughter knows. To that end, if I bear a daughter, I will  
come for you at the first opportunity. Agreed?"  
  
Motoko couldn't do much more than nod her approval. "Good. It does  
pain me to know that I will not be able to see you for some time. But  
I will be able to manage, knowing that you will be trying hard." She  
put her hand on top of Motoko's head, and Motoko looked up at her  
warm, shining face. "Become a strong swordswoman, Motoko."  
  
Motoko smiled back. "I will, sister," she vowed. They stared at each  
other for a long time, and then they both started to laugh. Motoko  
didn't know quite why, and didn't care. It felt nice to share this  
last moment with her sister like this. In the very near future, there  
would be many things for her to worry about. But right now, none of  
it mattered, because she had a sister who loved her.  
  
-----------  
  
They spent the rest of the day resting in the shade of the tree, until  
the sun went down. Motoko and her sister parted ways, Motoko heading  
for the barracks, and her sister for the guest house.  
  
Several hours later, under the cover of night, Motoko again left the  
Shinmeiryuu dojo grounds. She did not look back once. 


End file.
